Karl Marx to Ludwig Kugelmann, 18 February 1867

Will you see if you can get the following reply [1] inserted in the Zeitung für Norddeutschland, and if they refuse it, in another Hanoverian paper. It is important for me because I actually intend to go to Germany in a few weeks’ time. The whole notice smells like Stieber. [2]

In a few days I shall send you the official report of the Geneva Congress which is now appearing in serial form, both English and French, in a paper here. The Commonwealth is up to its neck in the reform movement. Its editorship is in very bad hands. At the moment we have reasons for letting it go on as it is, although we could intervene as share-holders.

Recently our Society has had all sorts of quarrels with Monsieur Bonaparte. More next time. Please let me know what Liebknecht is doing and where he is.

Yours
K Marx

Notes

1. Wilhelm Stieber (1818-1882) – Chief of the political department of the Prussian police and organiser of the famous Communist trial at Cologne in 1852 – Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute.

2. The enclosure reads: ‘To the Editor of the Zeitung für Norddeutschland. It appears to me that the notice published, probably inadvertently, in no 5522 of your journal: “Dr Marx, resident in London, seems to have decided upon a journey to the Continent in order to conduct propaganda for this affair [the approaching Polish insurrection]” is a police fabrication hatched for I know not what “affair.” London, 18 February 1867.’ This declaration was not published in full, the Editors of the paper confining themselves to a short note of its contents – Marx-Engels-Lenin Institute.